Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-24
Red Shirts Ride to Hounds.

There was striking test OF the quail
ty of American horsemanshic IS dis
played at the Wild West in Hertfordshire
last Saturday. Mr. E. @. Swindell,
wealthy country gentleman, who is owner
of fine pack of hoands, is devoted to
fox-hunting. There was large meet at
his place on Saturday, which over one
hundred gentlemen attended. There
were also twenty five or thirty ladies pre-
sent. Mr. Swindell invited Broncho Bill
and Red Shirt to come down and take
part in the hunt. These are two of the
most famous riders at the Wild West
Show. Mr.. Swipdell wished to test the
character of the American style of riding
in a sharp brush across the most difficult
country. Neither Bill nor Red Shirt had
ever ridden across English country be-
fore, and in all of their riding had done
very little jun ping. They came TO the
meet and accepted mounts from Mr..
Swindell. The horses furnished them
were strange. The saddles and the
brides we're English. Neither one of
the American riders had ever beer; in an
English saddle before. They examined
the curb and light snaff1e carefully be-
fore mounting. When both were seated
in their saddles they Immediately called
out for the stirraps to be heightened SO
that they could ride with straight legs.
Red Shirt wore his chiefs dress. Bron-
cho Bill had on his rough camp suit. The
Englishmen were, of course, in full hunt
ing pink. Mr.. Swindell addressed Bron-
cho Bill before setting out. He said:
"There is hardly man here but what
believes you will come to grief. You are
going to try pew kind of riding, and |
hope you will do your country credit"
Bconcho Bill says that he made up his
mind that no Englishman should get
ahead of him in that hunt if he broke his
neck. The course run was ten miles,.
Bill and Red Shirt were furnished with.
two changes of horses in the run. The,
track was directly across hard stretch
of country. There were a great number
of hedges. stiff fences and bitches. Bron-~
cho Bill says til at he had never jun ped
fence before in his life. He declares that
he felt very queer raising to the first
one, but that after he had BEEN over one
or two he did not mind. At the first
fence three of his English com petitors
vert down, and from then on Red Shirt
| and Bill led the whole crowd. Red Shirt
became wild with excitement. He yelIe-
! and dashed at the fences abiaze with ex
| element, as If he were charging. Th
master of hounds had to call out to them
not to run down the hounds. They kept
close to the tails of the dogs until the fox
excaped by narrow stretch of sixty feet
| into his hole. Mr.. Swindell himself was
the only Euglishman who was near him
at the close. The representatives. of the
Wild West Siged warm congratulations
afterward for their brilliant riding. They
jumped ever every obstacle In their way,
not going around one. Mr.. Swindell en-
couraged them all through the ride by
telling them not to spare the horses; that
he had twenty five more left, and appear
ed to take as much pride in their victory
as If he had been an American. He said
he would have given $500 if they had got
ten the fox.